Control device



Sept. 8, 1953 F. T. IRGENs 2,651,295

CONTROL DEVICE Filed May 22, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l L Me@ Mdm Gttornegs sept 8, 1953 F. T. IRGENs 2,651,296

. CONTROL DEVICE Filled May 22, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Cttornegs Patented Sept. 8, 1951:;

CONTROL DEVICE FiiTLIrgeis, Milwaukee, Wis., assigner to Outboard," Marine '& Manufacturing Company,

Milwaukee; Wis-. a corporation of Delaware Application May 22, 1950,v Serial No. 163,523 Claims; (Cl. 123-98)` lf My. invention .relatesvv toimprovements in control devices. y

' More particularlystated .my vinvention relates to improvements. in` control. devices" .especially suited for control vof.' internal "combustion engines. v

The speed control of in'te'rnal combustion 'engines with torque and vibration constantly pres'' ent to tend to varyfthev lposition of adjustment, presents problems which' are lmet with my'invention hereinafter described.' 'Ih' 'timing' of the spark for such an engine isibest adjusted when it is coordinated Withthelspeed oi the engine. Therefore, since. the. speed` of the'engine is regulated byiuel" supply, the" increased fuel supply and 'the advance. of"spfark should be coordinated. This is aocompli'shed'as' indi'- cated -by the description of my invention below.

Furthermore, initliev -controlof many internal combustion engin'esth'e operator is voccupied with many duties which"do'inotpermitroihis constant attention to coordination of spark `and throttle and if torque vand vibra'ti'on tend to cause the adjustableelements of spark or throttle to -creep away from' th'e "adjustedposition the return of the controlsto proper 'coordination and the return 'of the' 'controls toi proper position for desired speed may overtax the ability of the operator toJ perform his" duties.- One illustration of the problem solved 'by vmy invention is to be found in' the spark and throttlev` control of an internal combustion engine -for an outboard motor 'o n a `boatjor other craft. The operatorA is called-upon to perform allv of the duties pertaining tothe navigation vof the' powered craft plus all of the vduties of operating andv coordinating the engine control Lfunctions.

In addition to coordination and in addition to the prevention of ycreep ofthe f'controldevices due' to vibration ortorquef myinvention provides improved control handlemeans with connect'- ing parts so that steering"andfnavigationmay be performed byA an outboardrmotoroperator at the same time thatall'iengin'econtrolis centered for immediate attention" oftheoperator even though throttle or sparkf or both maybe locked in -a given position of coordinated adjust-,menti The objects, therefore,fof-'myinvention are:

To provide a lock for a.- control device, at the same time maintaining the IcontrolV devicel freely. subject to manual'movement invariable incre-V ments of adjustment;l to provide'lcoordinated inn terconnection between operating adjustments ofl the various adjustable functions of such" a 'machine Aas an internal combustion engine; and to provide the control handle or manual operating uni-t for contro1 devices such as those referred to above whereby an operator may manually adjust the various functions of a machine without diverting his attention from others of his duties such as navigation, steering, etc.

In the drawings:v

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the upper portion of an internalcombustion outboard motor equipped with my invention, certain parts of my `control devicesV being shown in vertical section.

Figure 2 is a front elevation showing fragmentarily a portion ofthe outboard motor shown in Figure 1 and the .position of certain contro-1 device parts when they are in position for high speed motor operation.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the adjustable magnetoplate and vcertain of my control devices attached thereto as exposed when the fly-Wheel of the outboard shown'in Figure 1 is removed;` the crank shaft of the outboard motor being shown in horizontal section.

Figure 4 is an enlarged -vieu of the upper portion of the motor shown Vin' Figure 1, portions of the ily-wheel, magnetoplate and control device' being' broken away on line' 4L4 of' Fig. 5.

Figure 5 is a bottom' View' of the magneto`' yplate 'shown in Figure .4,.a horizontal section through the' outboard motor being taken on vline ventional outboard motor "construction, it will loe-obvious from `the'following description of my invention'that'the various featuresk of mycontrol devicesmay' be 'used for the con-1 trolY of other Amechanical units'. p

In the drawings the outboard' motor includes mounting bracket 1:0 for attachment of the outboard motor to the transom of fa boat. lIn this f power sliaft'and housing Y IlY and the parts of. the motor thereabovaare y dirigibly'mounted 'so v as` to bracket l l), the Vertical' be Voscillated under the control of a steering handle I2 hingedly secured at I3 to a steering arm I4 connected to the power head I5. The powerhead includes the usual cylinders |6 mounted upon a crank case I1 with the usual internal combustion engine parts carried by said cylinders and crank case, said parts including a crank shaft 20, a ily-wheel 2|, carburetor or mixing valve 22 and magneto ignition parts carried by a magnetoplate 23. In the particular embodiment of my invention shown in these drawings, plate 23 is adjust-ably oscillatable about the axis of the crank shaft and butterfly valve 24 with its butterfly valve shaft 25 constitute the speed control devices for the internal combustion engine which are subject to the control of my improved control devices.

Magnetoplate 23, as shown in Figure 3, has Y mounted upon it the coils 2B and 21 with their respective armatures 28 and 23v about which the fly-wheel 2l carrying magnets (not shown) malr revolve upon crank shaft 20 to induce electric current to be controlled by sets of contact points 30 and 3| to provide timed spark discharges in the cylinders I6 in the power head I5. I have not shown the electric circuit for this purpose since such circuits are well known and may be regarded herein as conventional. The usual movable breaker points at 30-31 are biased to close position and mounted upon breaker arms 32-33 with a fiber at 34 to ride upon crank shaft 26 a portion of the surface of which at 35 is fiattened to permit the points to make and break in proper time.

To properly adjust the timing, electrically, of the motor shown in the drawings, the magnetoplate 23 is subject to adjustment in an oscillatory manner about the crank shaft 211, and the breaker point mechanism carried by the plate points 2B is thus caused to operate earlier or later in accord with the adjustment of the plate rotatably about the shaft 20. According to previous practice plate 23 is frictionally mounted upon a'stationary sleeve in which the crank shaft 23 is rotative, but 'it has always been necessary to employ a high degree of friction on the magnetoplate mounting in order to prevent it from changing its position due to the more or less violent torque vibration always encountered in outboard motors. This high friction has always made it relatively hard to adjust the magnetoplate.

According to my invention magnetoplate 23 is apertured at 4I to freely receive and be accurately centered upon the upper end of the crank shaft 20 (see Fig. 4). The plate need not rest frictionally against the top surface 42 of crank 4case I1, for it is positioned by the grippers described below. The exterior of the top portion of crank case I1 is circular in cross section and. is V-grooved at 43. Into this V-groove are fitted two or` more gripper brackets 44 secured to the underface of the magnetoplate 23. Opposite the gripper brackets 44 a movable gripper 45 carried by a spring pressed plunger 46 is so mounted upon the underside of the magnetoplate 23 that its normal position is that shown in Figures 4 and 5 in which compression spring 41 thrusts the movable gripper 45 deeply into the groove 43 with the result that grippers 44 on the opposite side of the plate 23 are likewise thrust deeply into the groove to effectively clamp the plate 23 upon the crank case I'I and prevent oscillation of the magnetoplate 23. Thus unless the gripper is somewhat withdrawn from its wedged position in the groove, the magnetoplate .4 and the parts associated therewith are stationary relative to the crank case and remain stationary until my control devices are actively set in motion as described below.

Since the adjustment of spark timing and the adjustment of butterfly valve 24 are to be coordinated for eicient internal combustion engine operation, Ishape the underside of the plate 23 to include a cam projection 50 as shown most clearly in Figures l and 2. When the cam is in the position shown in the Figures 2 and 3, the magnetoplate is in extreme position of oscillation for highest speed of the motor, and the cam bears with its greatest force upon cam roller 5I carried by the central portion of throttle arm 52 which is fulcrumed at53 on a control boss 54 extending Vforv'vardly from crank case Il, Throttle control arm 52 controls throttle link 55 which is connected in turn with butterfiy shaft arm 56. Thus when butteriiy` valve 2'4, which is biased to closed position is acted upon by the cam 50, the link 55 and arm 55 are thrust downwardly against the bias and when the magnetoplate is moved clockwise, as viewed from the top of the motor, the throttle will close as the cam 5D relieves its pressure upon roller 5 I. At the same time, of course, the spark is retarded and the motor is slowed.

It will be noted that movable gripper 45 is mounted upon the inner end of gripper release shaft 60 about which the compression spring 41 is coiled. This gripper release shaft extends through gripper mounting lug 6I forming part of the magnetoplate 23. The outer end of the gripper mounting lug is vertically ridged at B2 f and 63. Against these ridges is a J-shaped rocker plate 55 apertured at 65 so that the gripper release shaft 60 may extend through it. The long leg El of the rocker plate is somewhat off-set (shown most clearly in Figure 5) and terminated in a pin connection at 6B with a control gear sector '18. Lock nuts 'II adjustable upon the end of the gripper release shaft 60 bear snugly against the rocker plate 65 under the pressure of compression spring 41 and it will be obvious from an examination of Figures 4 and 5 that if pin 68 is moved in a circumferential direction, either one way or the other, a ridge 62 or 63 will become a fulcrum about which the rocker plate 65 will oscillate, thus pulling the movable gripper 45 slightly out of the groove 43 to release plate 23 for oscillation.

The above description has indi-cated how adjustment of the carburetor throttle is coordinated .with adjustment of the magnetoplate. The conto which the pin connection 68'is secured. This sector is mounted to the upper face of the magnetoplate by means of headed studs l5, but these extend through arcuate slots 'IB in the sector to provide for a certain amount of oscillatory .movement of the sector before the magnetoplate 23 is forced to move-,with it. It is during this relatively slight free movement of the sector that the pin connection 68 operates the mechanism for release of the gripper 45 whereby to free the YAplate 23 for adjustment.

The gear sector 'I0l has its toothed outer periphery extending radially beyond the magnetoplate 23 and beyond the periphery of the iiywheel 2|, and the circumferential extent of the Y gear sector is ample'to provide `for oscillation of range-ofthe speed and sparkvzcontrol of the'particular. motor with whichl it isassociated. At a practical Vand convenient mid-pointin the range of oscillation of the gear-sectorflll.provide a control bracket I1 securedv to thecrank case I'I. This bracket provides a housing-and mounting 'I8 .for a drive pinion 'I9 .and a transfer pinion 88 so disposed andso meshed that ,rotation of the drivepinion 19 results in rotation of transfer pinion 8@ and oscillation .of the sector T8.v The shaft 8| of pinion 'I9 hasits. bearing82 in a lower extension 83 of the bracket and is so shaped as to have good mechanical connection with a ilexible drive cable 84 sheathed at 85 .and extended into the hollow interior of Vsteering handle I2. Within the steering handle I2 the sheathed ilexible cable extends. to awobblegrip .90.` The -construction of .the wobble grip90 is such .that the operated of my control'device mayrotate the flexible shaft 84 land thus .rotate the pinion 'I9 and 80 in one `direction vor another .to oscillate the gear sector '|8.' In the first small` increment of 'movement of the sector, the pin connection 68 rocks thexrocker plate .B5 to release the gripper 45. Then upon further oscillation inthe same direction, the magnetoplate .23 is moved to adjust the spark timing. But as soon as the operator ceases to urge thesector to move the direction in which the adjustment was initiated spring 4-1 will pull the rocker plate 65 back into abutment with both of the ridges 62 and 63 to permit the movable gripper 4.5 to re-engage grooved crank case at 43. Reverse movement of the sector is readily accomplished since the rst movement of the rocker Aplate in the opposite direction 'will release vthe movable gripper for adjustment. of the plate 23.

It .will be obvious from the .above description that any form of vhand grip` upon the end of the steering lever I2 and attached for positive rotation with flexible shaft 84 may be used to `accomplish an adjustment of the control devices thus far disclosed above, but if the Vhandle is an ordinary knurled tube there is little for the hand of the operator to grasp in a manner .which will inform him, without visual examination, of the position of the control devices. On the other hand if the handle is shaped with an exposed crank there is danger that gloves or clothing of the operator may become entangled therewith to interfere with speedy and accurate control of the motor, it being remembered that the steering handle is not only used for speed control but is also used for steering throughout a relatively wide-range of oscillation of the handle I2.

I have, therefore, -provided the improved `wob- 'ble grip shown in various alternative forms in Figures 1 and 6 to l10 inclusive. In each of these wobble grip constructions, the flexible shaft 84 terminates in a positve' connection at 9| with a wobble crank'92 whichincludes astraight extension 93 in alignment with the flexible shaft 84 anda wobble tip 94. The straight portion 93A of the wobble crank'92 has its separate bearing 95 carried by the main frame. 96.61 the wobble grip, and the. wobble tip 94 of the crank 92 has a separate4 bearing 9'! mounting, ina wobble frame 98. The .main frame 9S of the .wobble grip is bored and threaded at 99 to receive the end of the steering handle I2. A set screw .|08 .rmly holds the frame 96' of the grip so thatthe .frame may not become looseand may not rotate. with respect to the. handle I2. It will be noted that the main wobble grip frame 96 has a smaller diameter at |I and that there is a groove at |02. A resilient tubular hand grip of rubber or other rubberlike material is .tightly receivable .over.the 4:wobble frame 98 or ythe main frame smallerdiameter` I 0 I1 and is provided with aninterior flange-to fit the groove |02. Any form ofsuitable adhesivemay be used to bind the rubber -grip |05 lto the mai-n frame at IUI-|02, and maybe used to likewise bind the rubber grip to .the wobble frame 98. In the tip of the interior ofthe rubber hand :grip |05 is a .button shaped cap |06 anged to bear against the end of the-wobble frame 98.

It will be noted that the adjacent ends ofl the wobble frame 98 and the main. frame 95 ofthe hand grip construction are relieved exteriorly to provide space between the rubber hand gripand these frame members for a short length. of.- spring I8? so shaped and of ysuch predetermined diameter that there may be vno Vcollapse of the rubberlike hand grip |06 between the lrramemembers.

From the above description it willbe Aapparent that the operators hand may grip-*the handle |2 and the main frame 96 with a portion of his hand or fingers extended in such away as to rotate. the wobble crank 841cv swinging the tip of the rubber grip in an arc as indicated in full and dotted lines in Figure 6. The operator'may thus apply this wobble motion in the form of rotative motion to. the flexible shaft 84 and Ithus-by means of `the, pinions 19 and S0 adjust the gearsector 18.

In each of the Figures '7 to 18 inclusive, I show various alternative forms ofwobble grip construction each offering features of advantage re. lating to cost of construction, adaptabilitywith use of differing rubber-likematerials, or` better suited to personal preferences of a particular. user. In the Figure '7 construction frame members 98 and` 98 are each providediintegrally-with pinion-like end anges ||0 and. II, the. margins of which are provided with teetlrto mesh. as at H2, thus assuring that the framemembers .wi-ll not rotate with respect to .each other and no. torque will be appliedvto the. rubber |05.. Alsointhe Figure 7 construction, the spring member I0'I is made up of individual rings I|3, which. are free from one another but which tendtoftake vthe-poy sition shown in Figure 7 Awhereby to prevent the. rubber-like grip surface material. from folding in between the ends of the frame pieces or between the teeth of the flanges I |0-I |I betweenv which it might otherwise bev pinched. In the Figure 8 construction. only thevstraight .portion of the wobble crank 92 is providedwithritsbearing and the tip of the wobble grip has .neither aframe member nor a bearing for the wobble crank94. An anti-frictionA ball. and socket tip at H4 is fitted snugly at the .end of thewobble. crank 94 andthe rubber-like grip. |05 isin tension. Thrust washer II5 pinnedto. the straight. portion of the wobble shaft. 92 takes the thrust. induced by the tension referred to..

The Figure 9 construction. willbe understood clearly from the drawing which shows a balland.. socket construction. at |.|6..between. the..main. frame 861 and wobble frame981. Here. a thrust. washer |51 holds the partsinassembly and a. thrust cap |20 bearing against ashou-lder .at |24 protects the tip ofthe rubber grip from abrasion. upon the end of the wobble Ycrankfandthe thrust.- washer.

The `Figure 10 constructionshows clearlythe alternative form of crankI 2 I witha wobbleframe 982 equipped with a cap |201 comparable' to the.y capV |20 in Figure 9.l vThe mainframe 961'has a; shape-as shown in Figure 10 and the wobbleframe 982 is equipped with a bearing 911 for the same purposes as 97 in Figure 6.

acrimed It will be obvious from the above description that an operator who takes his position to swing steering arm 14 and steering lever I2 may with one hand on the wobble grip `90 carry out the complete control functions of steering and speed control with a minimum of inconvenience and with a maximum of accuracy control. Obviously for a two-cycle outboard motor, such as the one shown in the drawings, the range of movement for the gear sector 1D may be considerable since the spark timing may be adjustable for operations not only in a forward direction but also in a rearward direction of propeller operation; but I have found that through the use of my control devices and the selection of proper sizes of pinion 19-80, and with proper selection of cam curve for throttle actuation, I can properly adjust the spark for slow speedfor idling operation and with one-half turn of the wobble crank 92, can make the final adjustment of the plate 23 from slow to high speed. In other words, one-half turn of the wobble crank 92 will oscillate plate 23 sufficiently to move the throttle shaft 25 from idling position to full open position. Obviously if it is desired that the ratios of pinion sizes at 19 and 80 be otherwise selected a greater accuracy of plate adjustment may be provided.

At the end of any particular increment of adjustment in one direction, my control device assures that the plate 23 will, by means of the grippers 44, 45 fix plate 23 in the particular position of adjustment to which it was last brought by the operator in his manipulation of the wobble grip.

I cla-im:

l. In an internal combustion engine having a frame and a control, the improvement comprising a gripper, first means for normally engaging the gripper with the control and frame for interlocking said frame and control against relative movement therebetween, an actuator for moving the control respecting the frame, and second means actuated by initial movement of the actuator for releasing the gripper prior to movement of the control respecting the frame.

2. The device of claim 1 in which said actuator has a lost motion mounting on said control whereby the gripper is released in the range of said lost motion, said first means comprising a resilient member and being interconnected with said second means to restore the actuator and` second means to normal position after release of the gripper.

3. In an internal combustion engine having a crank case and a revoluble magnetoywheel adjacent thereto, a magnetotimer plate mounted for oscillatory adjustment between the crank caseY and the flywheel, said plate having grippers engageable with the case to prevent adjustment, one of said grippers being movably mounted for release of the plate, a rock plate positioned to move said gripper and a control device connected to said rock plate and to said plate whereby to simultaneously move said gripper and said plate.

4. Inan internal combustion engine having an externally grooved crank case and a revoluble magnetoflywheel adjacent thereto, a magnetotimer plate mounted for oscillatory adjustment between the crank. case and the flywheel, said plate having a pair of grippers fixed to said plate and having gripper means receivable in said groove, an additional gripper movably secured torsaid plate and provided with biasing means urging said movablegripper into said-groove; a.

rocker plate mounted upon said plate for relative movement therewith and connected with a control device whereby upon a movement of the control device to relieve the movable gripper of said bias and adjust the position of the plate.

5. The internal combustion engine of claim 4 wherein the biasing means for the movable gripperl includes a compression spring between the gripper and the plate, and the control device includes a rock plate between the timer plate and said biasing means, whereby upon response to movement of the control device to initially relieve the movable gripper of a portion of the force of said compression spring.

6. The internal combustion engine of claim 4y in which the control connections include a gear sector connected to said timer plate and the crank case is provided with a bracket; and a bracket carried pinion meshed with said gear sector, and manual means for rotating such pinion.

7. In an internal combustion engine having a frame part and a speed regulating part and a remote manual control, the combination with said speed regulating part, of a detent mounted thereon and releasably engaged with said frame part to hold the speed regulating part in any predetermined position of adjustment, and motion transmitting connections from the remote manually operable part to the speed regulating part and including a connection to said detent for the operation thereof in a releasing direction incidentally to the movement of said speed regulating part, the said detent being biased toward 1re-engagement with the frame part when relieved of actuation by said connections.

8. The device of claim '7 in which the speed regulating part comprises a timer plate oscillatable upon the frame part.

9. The device of claim 7 in which the speed regulating part comprises a timer plate, said engine being further provided with a carburetor having a throttle valve, together with additional motion transmitting connections from the timer plate to the throttle valve for movement of the valve in an opening direction as the timer plateA is advanced and vice versa and for fixing the position of said throttle valve pending release of said detent.

10. The device of claim 7 in which the remote manual control comprises a handle having a rotatably mounted and angularly offset grip manually gyratory at the end of the handle, the said connections comprising a rotor extending through the handle and connected with the grip to be rotated as the grip is gyrated.

FINN T. IRGENS.

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